America's last flatware maker, CNY firm, wins 'Made in USA' dispute

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sherrill Manufacturing of Oneida County, America's only remaining flatware maker, has won a dispute over companies that falsely claimed their forks, knives and spoons are made in the United States, according to U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer.

The victory is expected to boost Sherrill Manufacturing, which took over the Oneida Ltd. factory in 2005 and has since become one of the top flatware suppliers to the U.S. military and federal agencies that buy American-made products.

Schumer, D-N.Y., said Thursday he was notified by the U.S. General Services Administration that it completed an initial review of the "Made in America" claims from flatware makers who sell to the government through the GSA Advantage website.

As a result of the review, 11 companies will no longer be able to claim their flatware products are American-made on the website, Schumer said, because the investigation found they are made overseas.

That leaves Sherrill Manufacturing's flatware brand, Liberty Tabletop, as the only brand made in the United States.

"It was flat wrong for the GSA to allow these other companies to falsely claim they were 'Made in America' and putting a stop to that lie will help put Sherrill on a level playing field and help protect the valuable jobs there," Schumer said.

The senator filed a complaint with the GSA in January, asking for an investigation into the claims from the other manufacturers.

The federal government buys about 500,000 utensils a year from Sherrill, most of it sent to military bases around the world. The plant in the city of Sherrill in Oneida County employs about 40 people.

Sherrill Manufacturing sells directly to the public through its Liberty Tabletop website and through online retailers that specialize in American-made products.